Brian Birkett, 65, wore a Santa hat as he went around his home town of Dublin, Ireland, handing out food to rough sleepers.

He had spent the day preparing his curry dishes, which consist of chicken, chips and rice. Mr Birkett then headed out at night as part of the A Lending Hand group to deliver the food to grateful people living on the streets.

He started making the curries two years ago (after retiring) when he noticed how bad the homeless problem was. He told the told Independent.ie: ‘I was taking photographs of the architecture of old Dublin and I found that I was obstructed from doing it because of the homeless sleeping in the doorways.

Mr Birkett spends five hours every week making his curries Picture: Facebook)

‘So, I became very interested in the numbers of the homeless and I used to read about it on Facebook. ‘I started to get involved with the Monday night crew at the Central Bank, called “A Lending Hand”.’

The Irishman is so considerate he even makes a Halal version of his curries for Muslims. Mr Birkbett revealed earlier this year he was taught to cook the Asian dish by a friend from Pakistan. In return he taught him how to speak English.

He works with A Lending Hand to deliver the food (Picture: Facebook)

He to the Irish Sun: ‘The curry sauce I use is an Asian one from Newcastle, the home of good curry. It comes in a paste and I add water to it.’ But his deed isn’t just for Christmas and he plans to continue spending five hours every Monday making lots of curry for pensioners.

Brian Birkett getting ready to go out on a delivery Picture: Facebook)